Carbonating apparatus



Dec. 18, 1945. w. w. BOWMAN 2,391,003

CARBONATING APPARATUS Original Filed Jan. 15, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet l cal/v 30x L5 TRAINER REFRIGERAT/flN u/v/r INVENTOR at a. A /w ATTORNEY Dec. 18, 1945. w, w. BOWMAN 2,391,003

CARBONATED WATER ATTORNEY W. W. BOWMAN CARBONATING APPARATUS Dec. 1a, 1945.

Original Filed Jan. 15, 1942' 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 18, 1945 CARBONATING APPARATUS Wade W. Bowman, New York, N. Y., assignor to Frostidrink Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application January 15, 1942, Serial No.

426,822. Divided and this application November 21, 1942, Serial No. 466,431,

Claims.

The invention relates to carbonating apparatus and more particularly to new and useful apparatus and devices for charging water with carbon dioxide gas for use in beverage dispensing apparatus or the like.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

0f the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic showing of a beverage dispensing apparatus wherein the subject matter of the invention is embodied, said apparatus illustrating one preferred use of the invention. In said Fig. 1 the various parts of said apparatus are shown substantially in their mechanical forms, some in elevation and some in vertical section, but said parts are arranged as in an expanded flow diagram rather than in their actual positions in a commercial apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section, with parts in elevation, comprising an enlarged view of the carbonating apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a modified form of lever-controlled, liquid-supply switch; and

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 44 of Fig. 3.

The present application is a division of my copending application Ser. No. 426,822, filed January 15, 1942.

One object of the invention is to provide novel and improved carbonating apparatus whereby it is possible to impregnate water with the maximumv amount of carbon dioxide and to maintain the degree of carbonation constant regardless of the number and frequency of drinks dispensed. Also with my carbonating apparatus the wear and tear on the mechanism is reduced to a minimum and expenditure oi power is very low. A novel and simple electrolytic control of the fluid supply to the carbonating apparatus is one of the novel features of the carbonating apparatus; same being used in combination with means for creating swirling and agitation of the water in the carbonating tank. By means of this feature of the invention it is possible to control the supply of make-up Water by varying the level of the liquid in the tank which effects the electrolytic circuit between a static level and a dynamic level, the

quantity of make-up water at one time than would normally be called for by the change in static levels in the tank due to withdrawals of carbonated fluid. Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved form of liquid agitating means in a water carbonating apparatus. The invention also includes an improved form of float valve control for make-up water supply, same being applicable to and usable with certain of the other features of the invention.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory but are not restrictive of the invention. Fig. 1 shows the several units of a beverage dispensing apparatus capable of use with the present invention, but, except for the carbonating and liquid supply apparatus hereinbelow described and claimed, said units constitute no necessary part of the present invention. As shown. said units are arranged to illustrate their functional relationships, but in practice they are mounted within an appropriate cabinet which may be of-any suitable type commonly known and used for'dispensing beverages into paper cups by means of coin-controlled devices.

In general the units comprising the complete apparatus consist of a conventional supply for carbon dioxide shown as the pressure tank I; a conventional refrigeration unit In which may comprise any suitable power-operated refrigerating mechanism; a fresh water supply tank 20 having a motor-driven pump unit 25 connected therewith; a water-refrigerating and carbonating unit comprising the tanks 30 and 35; the syrup or flavor supply unit comprising a plurality of syrup tanks 50 conveniently mounted within the chilling tank 30; the beverage mixing and delivery unit comprising sets of electrically operated valves 50 and 10 and the chilled delivery nozzle unit 50; the cup supply and dispensing unit and the coin-controlled selective and sequence-determining unit generally indicated at I00 in Fig. I. Said latter unit may also be considered tocomprise the battery of push button control devices and associated therewith the drink totalizing and registering unit.

Referring now in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, same includes the detailed mechanism shown in Fig. 2 and the coordination therewith of the carbon dioxide unit I, the refrigeration unit and the water supply and pump units 20 and 25. As embodied, the water chilling tank is preferably rectangular in shape, being provided W1... 9. bottom, end and side walls 3| and a top closure 32, Said tank is preferably filled to near the top with a chilling fluid F which may be plain water or other suitable fluid. A suitable chilling coil H is provided in the tank 30 for the circulation or refrigerant from the refrigerating unit l0 to which it is connected by an inflow pipe I2 and an outflow pipe I3. Although said coil is shown diagrammatically in one portion only of the tank, in practice it preferably covers-both sides and the bottom thereof. The particular means for operating the refrigeration unit and the circulation of refrigerant therefrom and through the coil I I may be of any conventional construction, constitutes no essential part of the present invention and is therefore not shown in detail. Means may be provided for circulating the chilling fluid within the tank 30 so as to distribute same fairly uniformly throughout the body of the tank and as embodied said means comprise a circulating device having one or more sets of rotary vanes 35 on the vertical shaft 31 which depends from the top of the tank 32 and is driven from a pulley 38 by suitable connections from the pump motor 25.

The carbonation of water is performed within the closed tank 35 which is preferably cylindrical in cross-section and is suspended from the top 32 of the tank 30. Said tank 35 is suitably sealed so as to be gas and liquid tight. For that purpose the tank itself is preferably made of glass or other ceramic material and is suspended from the top 32 of the refrigerating tank by means of an outer suspending cylindrical container or metal casing comprising vertical walls 35! and a bottom 352 on which rests the bottom of the tank 35, a suitable cushion 353 of rubber or the like being preferably placed between them, The upper ends of the walls 35l are flanged outwardly at 354 and are supported from the top plate 32 by bolts 355. A gas and liquid-tight seal is probe provided with a plurality of coils 204 and thence through the top 32 of said-tank to a suitable check valve 205. Thence the water tube 205 leads downwardly again through the top 32. Preferably a by-pass pipe 200 is provided for returning water from pipe 202 above the strainer to the supply tank 20 and a hand controlled valve 200 is positioned in said bY-passto regulate the amount of water so permitted to return to the supply tank. In this manner the amount of water supplied to the carbonating tank may be conveniently regulated.

It will be understood that the use of the bypass construction, as shown, permits employment of a high capacity pump while regulating the input of fresh water therefrom so that a substantial amount of time is occupied in delivering the water into the carbonating cham-b'er. Thus a too rapid inflow of water is avoided and ample time provided for its carbonation, while retaining the advantages of the strong and high capacity pump.

Means are provided for introducing the chilled water into the top of the tank in the form of a spray and for that purpose an elongated and inclined spraying head 350 is attached to the lower end of the pipe 205, said head being provided with a plurality of small openings 35! which spray the water laterally against the tank walls over a substantial space near the top of the tank 35.

Said spray of water is located in a space above that ever reached by the level of the liquid in the tank 35 and is designed to forcefully eject and spray the water in a locus where it will meet and co-mingle with the carbon dioxide gas which is introduced into the tank for the purpose of carbonation. The embodied means for so introducing the carbon dioxide gas comprises a downwardly disposed, open-ended pipe 355 Just within the top 32 of the carbonating tank thereby providing a space full of gas above the top level of liquid in the tank. The gas conduit 355 communicates through a check valve 355 in the cover 32 and a pipe 351 to a pressure reducing valve 353 which is preferably set to deliver gas at a pressure of approximately 40 lbs. per sq. in. from the tank I via the conduit 359.

Means are provided for facilitating intermixture of gas and water by agitation within the tank 35 and as embodied said means comprises a vertically-disposed rotary shaft 315 depending from the top of the tank and extending nearly to the bottom thereof. It will be noted that said shaft is spaced only a short distance from the wall of the tank 35 and thereby is eccentric with respect to the cylindrical mass of liquid in said tank. A plurality of sets of vanes 315 are mounted to rotate with shaft 315 at different levels within the tank, all of said sets of vanes being preferably positioned below the top of the liquid in the tank at the lowest level which it ever normally reaches. The setting and inclination of said vanes 315 is such as to create a vortex action, causing the swirling liquid to rise in the vicinity of the shaft during rotation thereof. The circulating mass of liquid ishigher at the walls and lowest in the vicinity of the control chamber 508. Due to the eccentric location of the shaft 315, the highest level of liquid is near the shaft as shown and the upper set of vanes also acts to impel and throw water p rd y and further aid in breaking it up in the gas chamber. Thus when the liquid is at its higher stage in the tank and the agitator shaft 315 isstationary, the liquid will assume a, static level indicated by the broken line D whereas when the agitator is rotated, the surface of the liquid will lie along a curve indicated by the broken line C. Similarly when the liquid in the tank is at its lowermost stage, there will be a static level as indicated by the line A and a dynamic surface contour for the liquid indicated by the line B, depending upon whether the agitator is stationary or rotating. The particular contour of the liquid under the so-called dynamic conditions, i. e. when the agitator shaft is rotating, may be varied somewhat by changing the inclinations of the various vanes 316 and/or the R. P. M. of the shaft, and although no means is specifically shown for this purpose it will be understood that same is within the purview of my invention.

It will further be understood that rotation of the eccentrically disposed shaft 315 will cause a pronounced swirling movement and agitation of the liquid within the tank 35. The liquid will tend to be drawn toward the shaft and flow upwardly so that it will swirl around and about the tank within the levels indicated, thereby effecting very thorough and uniform agitation of the liquid so that intermixing of the gas and water and production of a highly carbonated water will ensue. The embodied means for impartin driving movement to the shaft 315 comprises a pulley 318 fixed at the upper end of said shaft and driven by a belt 380 from a suitable drive pulley on the pump motor 26. It will be noted that the drive for agitator shaft 31 in the chilling tank 30 is conveniently provided by pulley 319 on shaft 315 which transmits the required drive to pulley 38 by a, belt 381.

Means are provided for withdrawing the carbonated water from the body of liquid within the tank 35 and preferably from near the bottom thereof by means of an open-ended tube 385 which lies diametrically opposite to the shaft 315 and near the opposite wall of the tank 35. Said tube passes through the top 32 of tank 30' and thence downwardly again through said top but outside carbonating tank 35 and along the outside thereof through the chilling fluid F. A suitable coil 386 is provided in said conduit 385 within the chilling fluid and from said coil the conduit passes out through the top 32 of the tank at the opposite end for distribution of carbonated water to any desired receptacle.

The invention provides means for preventing the supply of carbonated water in the tank 35 from falling below a desired predetermined level and for supplying make-up water to the tank to be carbonated as required. This feature of my invention avoids the use of any moving parts such as floats, levers or the like in the carbonating tank. It is exceedingly accurate and certain in its operation. It is likewise relatively inexpensive and simple in construction. As embodied I employ a control circuit in which the carbonated water acts as an electric conductor, the circuit being broken when the level of the carbonated water falls to a point where the flow of current through it is insufiicient to maintain a closed circuit. The apparatus therefor comprises a pair of electrodes 400 and MI which depend from the top 32 of the tank in which they are mounted and from which they are insulated by a supporting block 402 of di-electric material. Said block is flanged at its bottom 403 and fixed to the top of the tank by bolts 404 which also preferably support an annular washer 405 of rubber or the like. The electrodes comprise rods of stainless steel or other noncorroding metal. Said rods, which are preferably vertically disposed, are spaced apart, preferably about 4', their spacing depending upon their own conductivity and that of 'theliquid in which they are immersed. Preferably one rod 400 is somewhat longer than its companion 40l so that the former extends deeper into the liquid in the tank and thereby constantlyremains in liquid contact.

The space immediately surrouding the electrode rods is preferably enclosed within a cylindrical shield 408 of glass or other suitable material. Said shield is supported from the top 32 of the tank by an external metal frame 409.

Fluid communication between the main body of the tank 35 and the interior of the container 408 is permitted by openings 410 in the bottom of the container and its frame, while a plurality of gas holes 41! may be provided adjacent the top of the container 408. Thus the level of liquid and the gas in the container 408 is substantially the same as that in the adjacent portion of the surrounding tank 35.

The electrodes 400 and 40l are electrically connected to circuit wires M2 and M3 respectively which are tapped into the main line volt Wires 40 and 4|. Across line 412 there is connected a low voltage relay 4l5 which is actuated by current of the order of 6 to 10 volts. When energized, relay 4| 5 serves to hold switch arm 4I6 away from contact 4I1 in the line 4| 0.

As will be clear from following the lines 8 and 4E9, said switch controls the energization from the main line 40-4l of the circuit to the motor 26 for driving the water pump 25 and the agitator 315. The position of the electrodes is such that when the carbonated water in tank 35 remains above a predetermined level A, the resistance of the electrolytic current path between the electrodes will be sufiiciently low to permit passage of enough current to maintain energization of the relay M5 and thereby hold open the circuit for motor 26. However, when the water reaches level A, the, relay 4l5 willbecome deenergized and thereby switch 4I6 will be closed, thus causing the water to flow into the tank through spray 360 and simultaneously initiating rotation of agitator shaft 315.

As previously explained, one efiect of the agitator is to change the surface of the water from its static level A to a vortex contour B in which the level of the water adjacent the electrodes is somewhat depressed while it rises in the remote parts of the tank around it. -Consequently, the first efiect of the agitator movement is further to reduce the liquid current path between the electrodes and thereby prolong the time during which the relay 4l5 remains de-energized. As the liquid level rises due to the inflow of water, eventually a vortex surface C is reached adjacent the electrodes at which time the current flow is sufiicient to re-energize the solenoid and therebt break the circuit of the motor 26. It will be clear that the relay will not be re-energized when the water returns to the original level A at which the relay circuit was broken. There will be a substantial lag in re-establishment of that circuit due to the weight and inertia. of the relay core and this factor, among others, may be predetermined so as to give as great a diiference between the levels A and C as may be desired; As soon as agitator 315 stops, the static water level will flatten out at D thereby further raising same in the vicinity of the electrodes. Consequently a substantial differential in liquid levels may be provided between the time when fresh water is introduced and the time when it is cut on. due to the combined eflects of the differential between the static and dynamic levels of the water in the tank and the lag provided by the electric circuit itself.

It will further be understood that the difference between the static and dynamic liquid levels may be controlled and varied by changing the pitch of the blades 315 on the agitator shaft and/or by changing the speed of rotation of said shaft.

Referring now to the fresh water supply apparatus, I preferably provide means for breaking the electric circuits to all units of the mechanism, except the refrigeration unit, when the supply of fresh water in the tank 20. falls below a predetermined minimum level. As shown the water supply tank is provided with a float 433 20 which is movably centered on a guide rod 43L The lower end of said rod is provided with a cross bar 432 against which the float comes to rest when the water level falls below that of the bar. The upper end of said rod 43l projects 2 through a suitable opening in the top of the water tank and is provided with a top bar 433 which is normally urged upwardly from the tank by a light spring 434. The rod 431 is adapted to move downwardly against the spring under the weight of the float 430 when the water is insufllcient to buoy it up and thereby to open the switch comprising the movable arm 435. Thus the depletion of water in the tank 20 opens the switch 435 and thereby breaks the current flowing to the main line conductor and hence de-energizes all of the units of the machine except the refrigeration unit.

That unit is preferably maintained in operation at all times so as to keep the carbonated water 40 and syrup supplies chilled, whereby renewed operation of the machine at any time will be possible without waiting for cooling of the supplies. The refrigeration unit, as shown, is directly connected to the main electrical line inside the wa- 5 tar-control switch 435. A thermostat (not shown) is preferably provided in the tank 33,.

adjacent to the water tank 35 and said thermostat is set to control the operation of the refrigeration unit whereby the chilling fluid in tank 30 may be maintained'at a desired temperature.

In Figs. 3 and 4 there is shown a modified form of control means for the solenoid circuit 4l2-4i3 which regulates the water supply pump motor 25. Instead of using the electrolytic principle for controlling the supply of current to said circuit, inthe modified form I provide a mechanical switch directly operated by a float, the level of which varies with that of the liquid in the carbonating chamber 35.

As embodied, the cylindrical shield 403 in the chamber 35 is adapted to house a float comprising the cylindrical cup 450 which is inverted so that its open end 45l extends downwardly into the liquid in the container and its closed end 452 is uppermost. For preventing rotational and other erratic movements of the float a guide wire or rod 453 depends from near the lower end of the float along the inner wall thereof to extend tached an upwardly projecting switch-control rod 455. A suitable projecting surface 453 on said rod otally supported on a depending L-shaped contact bracket 453 which forms the terminal of the circuit wire 2, being mounted in the insulating block 402 at the top of the carbonating chamber. The other circuit wire 3 is similarly attached to a relatively short right-angled contact terminal 453 at the lower face of the insulating block. Said terminal 450 is adapted to engage outer movable end I of the switch member 453. The shape of the switch member 453 is such that it will remain in the osition shown in Fig. 3 until the extending arm portion 451 thereof is depressed.

The upper end of the rod member 455 on the float 452 is provided with a second projecting latch 433 which is adapted to engage and depress the end 451 of the switch member after a predetermined downward movement of the float. Hence when the liquid level in the container 35 has sunk sufficiently to'bring the member 453 on the float rod down against the upper edge of the switch'arm 451, the weight of the float 452 will then cause the switch member 453 to rock about its pivot and thus disengage the portion 43! from contact with the member 453. Thereby the circuit of solenoid 415 is broken, causing the water pump to function to supply water to the carbonating chamber as previously described.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the speciflc mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of th invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What I claim is:

1. In a water carbonating device in combination a fluid container, a water supply inlet and a gas supply inlet, and a rotary agitator rotatable about a vertical axis and positioned eccentric to the center of the fluid mass in the container for creating a combined swirling and agitating action in said fluid mass, and means positioned in the container at a relatively quiescent and low level locus in the swirl of fluid being agitated for controlling the supply of water through said water inlet and for controlling the motivation of said agitator.

2. In a watercarbonating device in combination, a fluid container, a water supply inlet and a gas supply inlet, a rotary agitator for creating a combined swirling and agitating movement in the fluid mass in the container, and means responsive to the fluid level for controlling the admission of make-up water through said water inlet and for stopping and starting the agitator, said means being positioned in the container at a relatively low level locus in the swirl of fluid being agitated.

3. In a water carbonating device in combination, a fluid container, a water supply inlet and a gas supply inlet, a rotary agitator for creating a combined swirling and agitating movement in the fluid mass in the container, motor means for driving the agitator and the pump for the water supply, and control means for said motor responsive to the fluid level, said means being positioned in the container at a relatively low level locus in the swirl of fluid being agitated.

4. In a water earbonating device in combination, a fluid container, a water supply inlet and a gas supply inlet, a. rotary agitator for creating a combined swirling and agitating movement in the fluid mass in the container, motor means for driving the agitator and the pump for the water supply, and electrolytic control means for said motor responsive to the fluid level, said means being positioned in the container at a relatively low level locus in the swirl of fluid being agitated.

10 level locus in the swirl of fluid being agitated.

WADE W. BOWMAN. 

